Ezekiel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 592

44-4

EZEKIEL. 44 He then retumcd with me to the T0 I2 Outer Gate of the Sanctuary facing tha cast;-—but it was shut! T he This gate shall be shut! It shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it,—f01· the EVER-uvme, the Gon of Israel, has entered by it ;-·therefore it shall be shut. The Prince of Princes shall sit in it to eat bread before the EVER- LIVING. He can enter by the path of the porch gate, and go out by the same path l ’ He afterwardstock me to the North

Gate in front of the Temple, when I looked and saw the Temple full of the splendour of the L1FE,—and in# clined my face downwards,···—when the Loxw said to me: Son of Adam l fix your heart, and

observe with your eyes, and listen with your ears to all that I may say to you ;-—to all the rules of the EVER- L1v1NG’s Temple, and to all its forms, and tix in your mind the passages of the structure, and all the gangways of the Sanctuary, and tell the rebels Of the House of Israel, Thus says the MIGHTY LORD :·-—You have added to yourselves, beyond all your de- pravities, House of Israel, the bring- ing in of foreigners of filthy mind, and filthy body, to reside in My Sanc- tuary, to detile My Temple! and you allow them to present My bread, and fat, and blood, and break My Cove- nant by all your depravities. You have also not guarded My Sacred Trusts, but have appointed Guardians of My Trusts from yourselves in My Sanc- Thus says the Mrorrrv Loan,

‘Any son of a foreigner of filthy mind, and filthy body, shall not enter My Sanctuary; or any son of a foreigner who resides amongst the Children of Israel;-··for even the Levites who deserted from Me, in the desertion of Israel, when they deserted from Me to follow idols,———they shall bear their crime. They may, how- ever, be appointed guards at the gates of My Sanctuary,·—~as guards of the gates of the Temple, and guards of the Temple. They may not, however, slay the burnt·offerings, and sacrifices for the People, or stand before them to administer, because they adminis- tered for them before the idols, and were a cause of sin to the House of Israel;-therefore I have lifted up My the MIGHTY 44-27

and they shall bear their punishment, and not approach as priests to me, or approach to any of the sacred matters of the Holy of Holies,—-—but shall suffer for the shame and depravity they have practised. But I permit them to guard the trusts of the Temple; in any of its services, or anything that is done for it. ‘ But the Levitical priests, the

descendants of Zadok, who guarded the Trusts of the Sanctuary when the Children of Israel deserted from Me, they shall approach to Me to administer, and stand before Me to the but when they arrive at the gates of the Inner Court they must clothe in linen clothing, and no woollen must be on them, whilst they officiate in the Inner Court and the Temple. Theyfmust wear linen turbans on their heads, and linen trousers on their loins. They shall not gird themselves in sweat. And when they proceed to the Outer Court,-—to the Outer Court of the People,-·——they shall put 0E their oiiicial robes, and place them in the Sacred Vestry, and clothe in other robes, that they may not be worshipped by the People because of theirlrobes. ‘ They must not shave their heads,

and shall not cultivate curls,-——·they rnust keep their heads tidy. ‘Nor may any priest drink wine when going into the Inner Court. ‘ Nor may they marry widows,

or divorced women as their wives, but only a maiden of the race of the House of Israel, or marry a widow who is the widow of a priest. ‘ They must also instruct My

People in the difference bttween Holiness and Defilement,—-—-and be- tween Corruption and Purity. And in a dispute they shall stand to de- cide by My Decrees, and decide it by My Decrees, and My Laws, and In- stitutions, in every Court they hold, and they must respect My Appoint- ments. ‘ And they shall not go and pollute

themselves for the death of a man, but for a father or mother, or son, or daughter, or brother or sister who has not a husband they may pollute themselves. After it, however, they must seclude themselves for seven days. Then on the day he enters into the Inner Court to oiliciate in 592 16 18 20 21 22 93 25 26